Cassilis Public School
plan 2015 – 2017
dd
Excellence in
Professional
Practice
Student
Learning and
Engagement
Building
Community
Partnerships
Planning template
Cassilis Public School
Cassilis Public school 1527
School background 2015 - 2017
SCHOOL VISION STATEMENT
SCHOOL CONTEXT
SCHOOL PLANNING PROCESS
To prepare every student to be successful lifelong learners
who are confident and creative individuals; and active
informed citizens through a commitment to equity and
excellence in education.
Cassilis Public School is a small school with 17 students,
located in the Upper Hunter Tablelands, 42 kms west of
Merriwa. Whilst our school is in a rural area the majority of
families live within the village of Cassilis.
We believe it is important for students to be self-aware, build
resilience and positive relationships and actively contribute to
the school, the community and the society in which they live.
The school is committed to providing an environment that is
friendly, safe and nurturing. CPS is positive and supportive,
through effective learning programs and a positive
approach to behaviour and learning.
The new model of school planning was presented to staff
and the P&C through meetings and planning days.
Community members were invited to meetings. However,
staff and community also discussed issues informally to
gain more information and input.
We value and support strong partnerships with the broader
community to maximise student engagement and
achievement in a nurturing environment.
The school provides a well-rounded curriculum that caters
for the broad socio economic variance across the
community. Cassilis public school provides a variety of
opportunities for students to develop talents in all
curriculum areas. Learning programs are designed to give
students opportunities to learn and succeed to their
potential and beyond.
The school vision was revisited and reviewed several times
during the process to refine.
Past and current students were surveyed for their opinions
on teaching and learning and what it would look like in the
future.
The school is a focal point of learning for the community
and supports the learning of staff, parents and students.
Our school is part of the Invermein Community of Schools.
Cassilis Public School 1527
01
School strategic directions 2015 - 2017
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 1
Student Learning and
Engagement
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 2
To develop the intellectual, emotional and behavioural
intelligences of students by building a learning environment
where well-being is central and students develop their
capacity to learn and play an active role in their own
learning.
To achieve excellence through high quality teaching and
leadership. The leadership team demonstrates instructional
leadership, promoting and modelling effective, evidence
based practice.
Students are creative, innovative and resourceful and are
able to solve problems in ways that draw upon a range of
learning areas and disciplines.
This is consistent with the goals of the Melbourne
Declaration.
Excellence in Professional
Practice
Advocate for, participate in and lead strategies to support
high quality professional learning opportunities for
colleagues that focus on improved student learning.
Engage all stakeholders in the process of developing
professional knowledge of leadership that enables
engagement in a collegial community of learners founded
in quality teaching and leadership which brings about
inspired learning.
Cassilis Public School 1527
STRATEGIC DIRECTION 3
Building Community
Partnerships
To identify, initiate and build on opportunities that engage
families in both the progress of their children’s learning and
the educational priorities of the school.
To build productive links with the wider community to
improve teaching and learning.
To investigate and utilise people’s passions and skill sets
and provide opportunities where they can have the greatest
impact on community learning.
Student learning is enhanced through an engaged
approach which is connected with their local community.
02
Strategic direction 1: Student Learning and Engagement
PURPOSE
PEOPLE
PROCESSES
PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES
Why do we need this particular strategic
direction and why is it important?
How do we develop capabilities of our
people to bring about transformation?
How do we do it and how will we know?
What is achieved and how do we know?
Students: Learn to make informed
judgements about their progress against
learning outcomes.
Provide professional development to
ensure all staff has a deep understanding
of: the learning outcomes of all National
Curriculum documents; The Quality
Teaching Framework; and all elements of
Visible Learning.
Products:
To develop the intellectual, emotional and,
behavioural intelligences of students by
building a learning environment where
well-being is central and students develop
their capacity to learn and play an active
role in their own learning.
Students are creative, innovative and
resourceful and are able to solve problems
in ways that draw upon a range of learning
areas and disciplines.
This is consistent with the goals of the
Melbourne Declaration.
IMPROVEMENT MEASURE/S
All students are self -directed learners.
They are active participants in their
learning and know what they are learning
and why. They can articulate where to
next. This will be evidenced within each
child’s personal learning plans.
Staff: are explicitly trained in the quality
teaching framework, visible learning and
the strategies required to build capacity of
students.
Parents: develop an understanding of the
learning process so they can effectively
support and encourage their children to
learn.
Community partners: develop strong
relationships and understanding of the
school and our students’ needs for the
purpose of enriching learning experiences
and building meaningful connections.
Leaders: demonstrate they are the lead
learner through developing a deeper
knowledge of the change process required
and a clear direction for the school.
Within the teaching and learning program,
provide rich opportunities that challenge
concepts taught and experiences that
facilitate independent thinking.
All students are self -directed learners.
They are active participants in their
learning and know what they are learning
and why. They can articulate where to
next. This will be evidenced within each
child’s personal learning plans.
All students have the skills to care for
themselves and contribute to the wellbeing of others. This will be evidenced
within school well-being data.
Develop a school wide system that
ensures PBL is embraced by the whole
school community and that every member
has high expectations of positive
interactions.
All students improve and value their
learning by actively engaging in the
curriculum and extra curricula activities.
This will be evidenced by greater than 0.4
effect size in summative and formative
assessment data.
Evaluation plan:
Practices:
Students will be actively seeking and
responding to feedback and continually
seeking a deeper understanding of their
learning.
Regular reporting against the milestones.
Evaluation against the school excellence
framework each semester.
All students have the skills to care for
themselves and contribute to the wellbeing of others. This will be evidenced
within school well-being data.
Students will be demonstrating selfregulation
and
resilience
in
their
interactions with all members of the school
community.
All students improve and value their
learning by actively engaging in the
curriculum and extra curricula activities.
This will be evidenced by greater than 0.4
effect size in summative and formative
assessment data.
Cassilis Public School 1527
03
Strategic direction 2: Excellence in Professional Practice.
PURPOSE
PEOPLE
PROCESSES
PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES
Why do we need this particular
strategic direction and why is it
important?
How do we develop capabilities of our
people to bring about transformation?
How do we do it and how will we know?
What is achieved and how do we know?
To achieve excellence through high
quality teaching and leadership. The
leadership
team
demonstrates
instructional leadership, promoting and
modelling effective, evidence based
practice.
Advocate for, participate in and lead
strategies to support high quality
professional learning opportunities for
colleagues that focus on improved student
learning.
Engage all stakeholders in the process of
developing professional knowledge of
leadership that enables engagement in a
collegial community of learners founded in
quality teaching and leadership which
brings about inspired learning.
IMPROVEMENT MEASURE/S
Every teacher will have a performance
and development plan, aligned to the
Australian teaching standard and the
school plan
All new scheme and executive teachers
undertaking accreditation at higher levels
are successful in gaining and maintaining
accreditation.
A culture of collaborative professional
learning that is valued and builds the
capacity of all staff. As evidenced by staff
assuming leadership roles in KLA areas in
the school.
Students: Provide students with a
framework that supports learning through
progressive feedback on teaching practices
with the school and whole school
environments.
Staff :Develop capacity of staff through the
formal and informal process involved in the
Performance and Development Plan and
the School Excellence Framework
Parents: Establish programs that involve
families in the education of their children
and broader school priorities and activities.
Create tools specifically designed for our
community which will provide opportunities
for families to give progressive feedback
about the quality of teaching and learning
at our school.
Community partners: Take a leadership
role in professional and community
networks and support the involvement of
colleagues
in
external
learning
opportunities.
Develop and implement programs that will
support the school to ensure Great
Teaching- Inspired Learning is the
foundation.
Leaders: Advocate for, participate in and
lead strategies to support high quality
professional learning opportunities for
colleagues that focus on improved student
learning. Through targeted professional
learning programs current and aspiring
leaders will refine their leadership skills
The development of a quality system to
support the implementation of the
Professional Development Framework.
Effectively
engage
with
Invermein
community of schools to work towards
common goals and build a strong collegial
network.
Invermein leaders plan together with a
united vision to develop a purposeful, high
level partnership of schools.
Refine communication resources to provide
information to the community centred
around the purpose and benefit of
professional learning of staff.
Provide staff with opportunities to shadow
and work collaboratively with highly
accomplished staff at other schools.
Provide staff with high quality professional
learning according to their learning needs.
Identify professional strengths of staff to
share with other schools.
All teachers are supported to ensure that a
range of professional learning opportunities
are available to ensure they have the
evidence to remain current in their
accreditation.
School develops whole school identified
professional learning plan.
Products:
Every teacher will have a performance and
development plan, aligned to the
Australian teaching standard and the
school plan
All new scheme and executive teachers
undertaking accreditation at higher levels
are successful in gaining and maintaining
accreditation.
Strengthen school partnerships with
families and the wider community through
consistent communication around
professional practices undertaken to
improve teaching and learning.
A culture of collaborative professional
learning that is valued and builds the
capacity of all staff.
Practices:
Staff access high quality professional
learning aligned with strategic directions
and personal goals
Practices:
Collaborating with Invermein Community of
Schools and other neighbouring schools
for mutual professional growth.
Evaluation plan:
Regular reporting against the milestones.
Evaluation against the school excellence
framework each semester.
Cassilis Public School 1527
04
Strategic direction 3: Building Community Partnerships
PURPOSE
PEOPLE
PROCESSES
PRODUCTS AND PRACTICES
Why do we need this particular
strategic direction and why is it
important?
How do we develop capabilities of our
people to bring about transformation?
How do we do it and how will we
know?
What is achieved and how do we know?
Students: The use of school facilities is
optimised to best meet the needs of
students and the local community.
Staff: Practices and process are
responsive to school community feedback.
Appreciate and utilise local community
knowledge to make real connections to
enhance student engagement and learning
outcomes.
Parents: develop an understanding of the
learning process so they can effectively
support and encourage their children to
learn.
The school and parent community work in
partnership
to
improve
student
achievement and wellbeing and to
celebrate students achieving personal
learning goals.
Families collaborate with staff and
students to analysis and create personal
learning goals which are relevant and
achievable.
Community partners: Major partnership
decisions are made collaboratively and
partnership activities are designed to make
the best use of the partner’s expertise
Leaders: The school leadership team
makes deliberate and strategic use of its
partnerships and relationships to access
resources for the purpose of enriching the
school’s standing within the local
community
and
improving
student
outcomes.
Create new opportunities, within teaching
and learning programs, which highlights
the community involvement.
To identify, initiate and build on
opportunities that engage families in both
the progress of their children’s learning
and the educational priorities of the
school.
To build productive links with the wider
community to improve teaching and
learning.
To investigate and utilise people’s
passions and skill sets and provide
opportunities where they can have the
greatest impact on community learning.
To enhance student learning through an
engaged approach which is connected
with their local community.
IMPROVEMENT MEASURE/S
Families assist their children at home with
their education.
Community members feel valued are in
partnership with the school to enhance
student learning
Every student will feel connected with their
local community and engaged in learning
activities. Their background knowledge of
their community provides a foundation for
deeper learning to occur.
Investigate the understanding a student
brings to the lesson through a focused
understanding
of
their background
knowledge.
Focused learning activities are developed
to deepen families understanding of their
child’s education and the strategies they
can use to help them. Existing school
communication practices will also focus on
developing this.
Community members will be canvassed
through a variety of ways to ensure future
school directions reflects their vision for
the school.
Evaluation plan:
Parent
and
community
surveys
developed in conjunction with P & C
Regular reporting against the milestones.
Evaluation against the school excellence
framework each semester.
Cassilis Public School 1527
Products:
Families assist their children at home with
their education.
Community members feel valued are in
partnership with the school to enhance
student learning.
Every student feels connected with their
local community and is engaged in learning
activities. Their background knowledge of
their community provides a foundation for
deeper learning to occur.
What are our newly embedded practices
and how are they integrated and in sync
with our purpose?
Practices:
Staff, families and the community are
working in partnership to create a positive
school culture for the students and
contribute to their education.
The school and its P&C are working in
partnership to plan
for and coordinate
school events.
05